MISSINGROSIE said:I fixed the hen. It's in the oven
How do you all roast your fowl? breast down.. breast up? I lay in side and flip midway .. breast stays moist
Hey how do you think baked bean stuffing would taste? ( just kidding !)
Since you asked -
All of the above.
That is, I season the bird at least a day ahead, sometimes two. I generally grind fresh thyme with coarse salt in my mortar, sometimes with a bit of lemon rind. This takes a bit of elbow grease to fully break down to a coarse dry paste...this is rubbed on the flesh of the bird which I do by loosening the skin around the entire bird except the backbone and working my hand between the skin and the flesh to season everything, massaging well. Truss the bird and then roast it at fairly high heat (probably 410); first on one side, then the other, then back side up, then finished breast side up, equal time with each turn. The timing depends on the size of the bird; here they are much smaller than in the US and it has taken some experimentation to get the right timing. For a standard French hen (around 2.5-2.75 pounds) I roast for 9.5 minutes per side (36 minutes total) and allow the bird to rest for a full 20 minutes after. For a US bird of 4 to 5 pounds it generally took about 14 to 16 minutes per side. No seasonings on the exterior of the bird, uncovered, no basting.
All based on a thoroughly preheated oven and starting with a bird that has been brought to room temperature before roasting.
A proper roast chicken with moist flesh and crisp skin is one of the simplest and best meals I can imagine.
Summertime - line a serving platter with some thick slices of grilled or toasted country style bread, top with some sliced or coarsely chopped garden tomatoes with a bit of crunchy sea salt, then place the carved or torn chicken on top of that to let the heat of the bird warm the tomatoes and the combined juices from the tomatoes and the chicken soak into the bread beneath... chicken and bread salad all in one...
A: Almost as good as baked bean meatloaf.
